Sectional sheathing.



J. C. 'MEEM.. SECTIONAL SHEATHING.

I APPLICATION FILED SEPT.21. I915.

PatentedNov. 13, 1917.

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Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

2 SHEE'TSQSHEET 2.

APPLICATION HLED SEPT. 21, 1915- portion 8 will be of greater length than the height of sides 1, as shown in lligs. 3 and 1. The upper edges of the wings 9 will be inclined, as shown in Figs. 3 and at so as to assist in guiding the sides. The lower portion of the corner guides will be wider than the upper portion, and the edges of the wings 9 will, when in proper position, be approximately parallel to the edges of sides 1. On the outer upper end of the intermediate portion 8 of each corner guide is fixed a plate 11 having a downwardly opening slot 12, this plate being eparated from the external upper surface of the intermediate portion by spacers 13, the pla e 11 and spacers 13 being secured by rivets i l. The exterior plates 11 having the downwardly opening slots 12 are longer than the inte' rior plates 16 having the upwardly opening slots 17. The purpose of tiis is to insure that when the corner guides are driven downwardly for the lower section, they will be accurately guided in the proper inclined direction by the key Also, this assists withdrawal. On the lower inside surface of the intermediate portion 8 are provided similar plates 16 having upwardly opening slots 17 spaced from the intermediate portion by spacers 1S and fastened by rivets 19. 20 represents the key, which preferably con sists of a short standard I-beain section having a web to slide in the slots 12 and 17, and flanges whose thickness about corresponds with that of the spacers 18 and 18. The width of the slots 12 and 17 about corresponds with the thickness of the web of the key, so that the key can be slid between the plates 11 and 16. It will thus be seen that the corner plate supports the key, and the key in turn supports the next lower corner plate.

It being remembered that the excavation is to be sheathed as it progresses downward, the first step is to position the upper sheathing section consisting of three or more sides and connectingguides. When this secton is partially excavated, the next step is to insert the keys 20 in the plates 21, on the inside of the excavation. The next step is to either drive or excavate at the corners sutiiciently to receive the guides for the next section below. The keys being held from further downward movement in the slots 17, the next lower guides are simply hung thereon, and owing to the prescribed fit of the flanges of the keys between the slotted plates 11 and the outer surface of the guides, it will be seen that when the latter are forced downward as far as they can go, they necessarily must travel in the predetermined inclined direction without deviation. Owing to the slots 12 and 17 being parallel one key is necessarily parallel with the one immediately above, and the keys at the several corners will necessarily take the proper positions. Having positioned the keys and the corner guides carried thereby, the next step is to drive the sides downwardly and 'outwardly in planes determined by the slope of the corner plate wings 9. As shown in Fig. l, the grooves in the ends of the sides may be somewhat wider than the thickness of the wings 9, and the wings 9 need not necessarily be precisely parallel to the sides 1, but any looseness will be taken up by the outside earth pressure when the sides have been completely driven. In the case of excavations in wet or moist soils where calking would be desired it is only necessary to calk, grout or concrete the spaces between the lower edge of one side and the upper edge of the next lower side, which is not a matter of any difficulty.

After the excavation has been made to the desired depth, the sheathing can be with drawn as the foundation is erected therein, or it can be left there. Soft concrete or grout will flow into the spaces left by the sides and corners and prevent any displace-- ment of surrounding earth. If the sheathing is to be recovered, the withdrawal of the lowest tier of sides enables the guides for this tier to be slid oil from the lowest keys, leaving the keys supported by plates 16. Then the keys are withdrawn from these plates and the next section above knocked down in the same manner. If it is not desired to recover the deepest part, it is only necessary to cut through the slots 12 above the keys 8 from within the excavation, at the top of the section which is to be left in. Then the upper sections can be separated and removed in the described manner. 13y inclining the sides, in combination with inclined or pyramidal corner guides, the excavation does not narrow as it increases in depth, but obviously the invention is not restricted to this form, as pits may be sheathed by this invention which narrow or widen at the bottom, as may be desired. This will be done by changing the inclination of the guide wings and varying the lengths of the sides accordingly. Also the invention may be used in horizontal or inclined tunnel or sheathing work without departure from its principle.

The invention has been found especially useful in underpining existing buidings during subway construction, and in carrying down footings for columns, piers, or the like, but it will be understood that the invention is capable of wide application for other purposes. By this invention excessive excavation is avoided, and also displacement of the surrounding ground. It will also be understood that the number of sides forming the inclosure for a section may be varied, and that the invention might also be employed in trench or tunnel sheathing without departing from its principle.

substantially alike Having thus described my invention, I

declare that what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A sectional sheathing comprlsmg corner guides havlng inclined wlngs, sldes between said guides engaging Opposite sides of said wings, gu de plates on opposite sides of each guide, and means'engaging the inner guide plate of one guide and the outer plate having means on the inner side adjacent the bottom, and on the outer side adjacent the top, for interlocking respectively with guides below and above.

3. The combination with a corner guide comprising an inclined plate having angularly bent inclined wings, of inclined slotted guide yokes oppositely mounted on said plate adjacent the ends thereof, sides engaging said wings, and I-beam keys slidable in said slotted yokes.

4. Sectional sheathing'for a prismatic excavation, comprising a series of plate like corner members along each corner of the excavation, and a series of plate like side members along each side of the excavation, the ends of the side members slidably engaging the edges of the respective corner members, and both the corner mem bers and the side members being inclined to the axis of the excavation. 7

' 5. Sectional sheathing for a prismatic excavation, comprising a series of plate like corner members along each corner of the excavation, each corner member being coupled with the adjacent, corner .members in the same series, and a series of plate like side members along each side of the excavation,

ing the edges of the respective corner members, and both the cornermembers and the side members being inclined substantially alike to the axis of the'excavation.

6. Sectional sheathing for a prismatic excorner members along each corner of the excavation, means slidably connecting each corner member with the adjacent corner members in the same series, and a series of plate like side members along each side of the excavation, the ends of the'side members slidably engaging the edges of the respective corner members, and both the corner members and theside members-being inclined substantially alike to the axis of the excava-' tion.v I V 7. In combination, a, series of corner guides for sectional sheathing for a prismatic excavation, each such guide being slightly inclined to the axis of the excavation and having slidable engagement with adjacent corner guides of the same series,

stops to'limit the relative slidable extension movement of adjacent corner' guides, and

' side members engaging said corner guides.

8. In combination aseries of corner guides for sectlonal sheathing for a pr1smat1c exthe ends of the said members slidably engag- 2 cavation, comprising a series ofplate'like, 7

cavation, each such guide being slightly in 'clined to the axis of the excavation and having means on the inner side adjacent to the bottom and on the outer side adjacent to the top for interlocking respectively with guides below andabove and side members engaging said corner guides.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature,

in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES C. MEEMQ Witnesses: V v v FRED HAMISCH, J. S. Woos'rER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing theficommiss io'ner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. 

